Congressman John Campbell's Blog - Green Eyeshade Blog

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Posted by: John Campbell at 11:34 AM

Recently, President Bush requested $196 billion to fund troops in Iraq, but so far the Democratic Leadership has been mired in disagreement on how or if those funds will be appropriated.

Earlier this week, Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Jim DeMint (R-SC), and John McCain (R-AZ) called on Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to divert earmarks in the defense spending bill and transfer those funds to the troops in Iraq if necessary. The defense spending bill contains roughly 2,000 earmarks worth approximately $5 billion.

There is substantial disagreement over these funds; however the diversion of these funds is one way of closing the gap. The redirection of funds from earmarked projects could require permission from Congress, and it is a safe bet that Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) would not let this occur without a fight.

Some of you may remember my exchange with Chairman Murtha about an earmark for a “Microbial paint shield” that the Pentagon never requested. This single earmark is worth $2 million. Rep. Murtha could potentially lose this earmark in addition another $150 million more worth of earmarks if the funds are reassigned.

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chuck writes:	Wednesday, November, 21, 2007 12:55 PM
NO FUNDING
No funding for the troops then no funding for CONGRESS. Id take their pay until they did fund the troops.Hell we already know that DEMS are the riches people in ConGress so I guess if we came up with a movie showing our troops families waiting for a Military check that the dems might get very angry since they have the contract on showing children in need of everything they do for Political gain. Now that is sad when you state that you represent the Peoples will but have to use needy children to push across political Points. I think that one is starting to wear thin since we now know that DEMS plott and plan out the Questions in the debates so their POLITICIANS want look and act STUPID. TOO LATE your own drive by media has brought that into the forefront against you DEMS.
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Expound Truth writes:	Wednesday, November, 21, 2007 1:29 PM
Dems of self + self-love.
__They need to repay their factions, and create turbulance in the process. Never met a liberal left who did not love to run to a fire. They need a fire to start a catastrophy, and a bucket of fuel to keep the fire burning. They have never introduced any legislation that has stopped a fire, only speculative theories that spread the fire around. The firefighters have no voice in left politics, has the voice they hear is of the arsonist. Factions burning with singular desires, fueled by our tax dollars. The seperate fires burning throughout the nation, using up Americas resources.
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Dad writes:	Wednesday, November, 21, 2007 5:15 PM
Dihimicratic inaction.
Before the '06 election all the libs could talk about is what big things they were going to make happen when they get control of the congress. Their lack of knowledge as to how to accomplish anything in Washington has become so painfully evident. You must play the political game to get your hometown projects funded, but trying to do it in such a grandiose way is failing them tremendously. A major bill like defense spending is not the place to make a big play for money when your whole existence is based upon the premise that defense spending is bad. Adding billions of pork to a bill such as this, which is destined for veto, is done only to allow you to point fingers later at election time. It's only other purpose is to avoid doing anything productively during your session in congress. Doing nothing in congress has become acceptable to most. As for me I will watch and vote against any who seem to be content with the lack of productivity in Washington, even if I have to write in the name of my successful local dog catcher as senator.
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kokopelli writes:	Friday, November, 23, 2007 12:15 PM
Pot Calls The Kettle
It is interesting to note that Righties and Lefties keep pointing the finger at each other on pork barrel spending. Like Swift's Big Enders and Little Enders they quibble over the same damn egg. The nature of American politics ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE is whoredom. We the people need to impose term limits at the ballot box. Campaigns are financed on the premise that the candidate will serve up a nice pulled-pork sandwich when he or she has been strategically placed at the head of a committee. And we the people keep loving their slick campaign slogans and ads and keep voting them into office. We now have the government that we deserve.
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ROBZUC writes:	Sunday, November, 25, 2007 3:19 AM
The 100 days
over yet? I hear they're going to do big things for America. Hey, Murtha! Apologize to those Marines you wrongly accused yet?
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TheHistorian writes:	Sunday, November, 25, 2007 2:48 PM
Pots and Kettles not the problem
We keep hearing about changing parties and term limits as solutions. That is NOT the problem. The problem is the "professional staffer" who has developed relationships with companies wanting earmarks, etc. and his relationship with his Congressman. Until you get term limits on STAFFERS you are going to have the same problem. Not saying that term limits for the Congressman are a bad idea, but until you get the staffer who has a relationship out of the picture you are not going to change the buying of earmarks.
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redlion05 writes:	Monday, November, 26, 2007 12:41 AM
The Problem is Liberals/Democrats
The problem here is liberals. The liberals/democrats are invested in defeat in Iraq. Why...for the short sighted self-serving goal of regaining the White House and political power. Dems and Liberals could care less about the troops as long as they get political power and they are willing to go to any lengths to get that power even if it means denying critical funds to our brave men and women in uniform. The only way to solve this problem is to elect conservative republicans to office. This is the only way to garantee the long term success of a logical foreign policy that provides security and stability to the US
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Bear writes:	Monday, November, 26, 2007 7:50 PM
Funding
The only ear mark I would like to see is one that will send the disgusting dis-honorable Marine back to his home state and place him under house arrest for treasonous actions towards the real Hero's of this Nation. the U. s. Armed forces now in the field
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About John Campbell

John Campbell is a member of the House Financial Services Committee, and has taken a leadership role in addressing the country's top economic issues. Campbell serves as a member of the Joint Economic Committee, and House Committee on the Budget. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from UCLA and a Master's Degree in Taxation from USC.